IceMen's new coach brings a winning background

Jeff Pyle replaces Rich Kromm after ECHL team finishes last

The Evansville IceMen are hoping a quiet move at the top of the organization will pay off with a big jump up the ECHL standings next season.

Without first mentioning that coach and general manager Rich Kromm had been "relieved of his duties," the IceMen announced on Friday that Jeff Pyle had been appointed head coach and director of hockey operations for the 2013-14 ECHL season.

"We wanted somebody who could jump-start us and move the IceMen up to the top of the league," said IceMen president and owner Ron Geary. "Jeff launched a successful (ECHL) franchise in Gwinnett (Ga.).

"We wanted to learn from his experience here. Now we believe we've found the right fit we want to get to the top."

Geary said the decision to relieve Kromm was "an evolving process as he watched the season end" with the IceMen in last place in the league, their first in the ECHL.

"The losses were heavier than the wins and you're judged on how you do on the ice," said Kromm Thursday when reached by phone. "Last year was better, but this year was a new adventure that didn't work out.

"But I was happy I had the opportunity to work with (NHL affiliates) Saint Louis and Columbus and develop some players and watch them contribute. It was especially satisfying to see Dan Tetrault get to move up at the end."

Tetrault went to the American Hockey League, which was where Pyle last coached when he spent a frustrating year with the Texas Stars in 2011-12.

He spent the last year out of coaching, but began putting out feelers through ECHL commissioner Brian McKenna.

"Brian directed me to Ron last fall, and we started talking and that was it," said Pyle, who had eight straight winning seasons in the ECHL. "I said, ‘Give me a call if you ever have any questions.' "

Geary called. He asked Pyle to come in as a consultant last November and Pyle watched five games, three live and two online.

"I gave him a quick synopsis of what I saw and left," said Pyle. "I talked with Rich some, too, but it wasn't very in depth, just my opinion.

"About six weeks later Ron called again with some questions and we just talked about the league and hockey, more like friends than anything, and it just developed from there."

Pyle won right out of the gate at Gwinnett with 14 rookies and said his best team didn't make the playoffs because a total of 10 players were lost to call-ups and injuries.

"I've always been known as a guy who developed players and gotten them moved up," said Pyle. "I want to keep doing that."